The present invention relates to a method for supporting development of graphic data driven programs and an apparatus for realizing the same, and more particularly to a method for inputting graphic images or patterns, transforming instructions into respective executable instruction templates, executing and tracing instructions and displaying trace results, as well as an apparatus for realizing the same in the design of data driven programs expressed by graphic description.
As an example of methods for testing a program designed by using graphic description at the detailed design level of the program, there is known a method using a structure chart, as described, e.g., in JP-A-62-61130. Although the method using this structure chart is suitable for describing a control flow of instructions, it is not suitable for expressing parallel description of a data flow, dependence relations of modules in the program, a control flow, etc. For this reason, when it is tried to model the program by the structure chart, it is necessary to define clearly interfaces between different modules used within the program by using variables and further to describe execution processes sequentially without errors. In addition, documents other than the structure chart are necessary for describing the relation between different modules and the data flow.
On the other hand, when the program is modeled by using data driven computation (data flow), the control flow and the data flow exist simultaneously and since the control flow and the data flow can be described graphically, this method is better than the structure chart from the point of view of the visual recognition. Heretofore, as described e.g., in the Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan, Vol. 68, No. 7, July 1985, pp. 773-778 (in Japanese), in order to facilitate the input of a data driven program in a computer, it is usual to use a language in text expression on the basis of the single assignment rule. However, by the text expression it is difficult to visually recognize the program, and the graphic expression, which is one of the features of the data driven program, can not be efficiently used. Further, although a graphically described language has been proposed by some authors, it is necessary by this method to input directly a program in graphic form at the detailed design level and to provide easily in a simple manner a function of debugging directly the program described in graphic form.
Still further, in U.S. Ser. No. 386,198 filed on Jul. 28, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,046, a technique has been proposed by which a source list of a wiring table (described later) expressed in text is transformed inversely into a data driven program described in graphic form.